The present invention relates to packages for cigarettes, and the like, and more particularly to a package which has a pair of outer side box sections hinged together for movement in a fan-like manner over an article container box for covering and uncovering the article access opening in the container box.
The prior art teaches various packages for cigarettes and the like which open in a fan-like manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,735,324 issued on Nov. 12, 1929 to Charles L'Enfant discloses a package for cigarettes which includes an article holder box for receiving a package of cigarettes. The article holder box has an open top so that the cigarettes can be removed from the holder box. The top edges of the side walls of the article holder box are cut away to afford convenient access to the cigarettes in the holder box. The holder box is enclosed by two case sections. The article holder box and two case sections are fabricated of sheet metal. A metal plate is spaced above the lower end wall of each case section and is fastened to the side walls of the case sections. The case sections are located over the article holder box such that when closed over the article holder box, the peripheral edges of the side walls, upper end walls and lower end walls abut at the open sides of the case sections. The ends of the metal plate at the open sides of the case sections are connected by a hinge, and the edges of the case sections between the hinge and lower end wall of the case sections are cut away in opposite directions to provide a clearance so that the case sections can be pivoted away from each other about the hinge. A U-shaped spring clip is affixed to the bottom wall of the article holder box such that the arms of the clip project downwardly through the clearance space at the bottom of the case sections to engage the spaced edges of the lower end wall of the case sections to bias the case sections to the closed position enclosing the article holder box. In addition, a flexible strap extends across the bottom wall of the article holder box and has opposite extending ends which fit into the corners formed by the metal plate in the case sections and end walls of the case section to limit the extent of relative opening of the case sections.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,058,646 issued on Oct. 16, 1962 to R. Guyer discloses a reclosable package for cigarettes formed of two complementary sections which are hingedly connected together. The package includes a partial liner which is secured to one of the sections and which telescopes into the other section. This liner is arranged to hold cigarettes contained in one section when the other section is hinged away so that the cigarettes can be removed. The package further includes a pair of tabs forholding the sections either in the open or closed position. The pair of tabs are cut from a portion of the liner panel and the ends of each of these tabs is adhered to the pivotally supported section. The anchoring of these tabs to the pivotal section acts to normally hold the pivotal section in the closed position. As the pivotal closure section is hinged to the open position, the tabs unfold in a manner to cause the side walls of the pivotal closure section to be flexed outwardly placing the tabs under compression until the pivotal section is in the fully open position. The action of the tabs create a resistance to folding the pivotal closure section either out of the closed position or out of the fully open position.
Other U.S. Patents which disclose various types of cigarette packages having movable closure members include U.S. Pat. Nos. 356,244; 578,669; 1,230,498; 1,735,325; 1,877,468; 2,950,060; 3,373,920; 3,583,625; and 4,172,520.
Some foreign patents which disclose various types of cigarette packages having movable closure numbers include: Australian Pat. No. 23,397 issued Nov. 4, 1929; Great Britain Pat. No. 1,263,203 published Feb. 9, 1972; Great Britain Pat. No. 979,355 published Jan. 1, 1965; and French Pat. No. 1,208,736 published Feb. 25, 1960.